Mel B was accused of squandering her Spice Girls fortune during a hearing held as part of her divorce case on Friday.

The singer, real name Melanie Brown, is currently fighting estranged husband Stephen Belafonte in the courts as their bitter divorce rumbles on.

On Friday, Brown appeared in a court in Los Angeles, where she faced film producer Belafonte, the father of her youngest daughter Madison, five.

As well as accusing Belafpnte of emotional and physical abuse, Brown also has to deal with a huge tax bill she and her ex racked up.

Grace Jamra, representing Belafonte, told the court that as the former couple led an “extravagant and affluent” lifestyle, Mel has “wiped out all her Spice Girls money - approximately (US)$50 million, if not more.”

Jacalyn Davis, representing Brown, said the pair’s joint income “was being spent and then some.”

“In this marriage, that would be Miss Brown’s income from the Spice Girls,” she said. “Prickly things happen when the IRS doesn’t get paid.”

Brown, who also has daughters Phoenix Chi Gulzar with ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar and Angel Iris Murphy Brown with Eddie Murphy, filed for divorce in March.

Last week, Brown argued that Belafonte was asking for too much money in spousal support after he initially requested $4,300 a month for food and groceries.

He asked for an additional $2,000 per month for clothing and $11,000 per month to spend on housing.

Brown claimed that Belafonte took his full wardrobe when he moved out of the marital home and that he is currently living with friends so doesn’t need the money for rent.